Beyond Books, Butts, and Buses: Ten Steps to Help Assistant Principals Become Effective Instructional Leaders

(Paperback)

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Beyond Books, Butts, and Buses: Ten Steps to Help Assistant Principals Become Effective Instructional Leaders is intended for ambitious future principals who recognize the importance of researching and preparing for that esteemed position. It contains ten steps that will lead those who are stuck in the duty world of books, butts, and buses to find ways to prepare for instructional leadership.

This book lays out strategies, suggestions, and checklists that will help support the learning. There are scripts, organizational tools, and rationales for following through on the implementation of these steps. There are also samples of different types of walk-throughs, agendas, and planners to help one get and stay organized. A campus administrator position is a hectic, crisis-of-the-moment type of job, and these chapters address how to handle these moments (or how to head them off!). The need for balance in ones life is spoken to as well, with a chapter devoted to how to avoid burnout. This is a must-read for assistant principals serious about wanting to prepare themselves for the top position in a school.

Reviews

Although organizational skills are highly important in the role of an administrator, it is hoped that the instructional strength an educator possesses determines their effectiveness as a leader. The ability to build instructional capacity in my teachers, along with the ability to provide learning experiences that build capacity in my students, is the type of leader I want to be classified as. Dr. Goods intent to re-focus the role of an AP as an instructional leader rather than an operations manager is the answer to educational reform. -- Martha Katrina Martinez, Mount Auburn Elementary, Dallas, Texas
This book is a great guide for individuals who are new or who need a renewal in school administration. Many best practices are explained in detail that should be practiced by assistant principals and principals to provide a successful teaching and learning environment. Unlike many leadership resources, this book provides the tools needed to perform the task. It is a step-by-step guide for leadership success. I highly recommend this book. -- Mary Davis, Dallas Independent School District, Texas
Dr. Good lights the path for aspiring campus administrators and current assistant principals by exploring the essential elements to becoming an effective and well-rounded instructional leader. Her vast experience in the field of education shines in the proven strategies, checklists, and examples provided in this book. -- Eric Pierce, Garza Early College High School, Dallas, Texas
Dr. Good has created an excellent resource for administrators and teachers who want to become effective instructional leaders in their school. Even though the author's intention is to help assistant principals, anyone involved in the development of schools will treasure this book; as it paves a clear path for ensuring educational accountability by creating a culture of learning and continuous reflection on teaching practices. Through following the strategies and best practices recommended in this book, a school can be transformed to become a true learning community where the focus is on learning together, rather than just teaching students. -- Boby John, principal, River Rock Academy, and founding director, Stepping Stones to Success, LLC

Author Bio

Dr. Rebecca B. Good, with almost three decades of educational experience, has had the unique opportunity to be part of many branches of the education world. She has taught children and adults in elementary, secondary, and higher education settings, and she has had campus leadership experience both as the principal and as the supervisor of principals for many years.